The Car is the Star
by SFBKludge
Summary: Answer to TTH Challenge1378 Xander and Dawn go car shopping, and find an unusual car sales man with a history.


**The Car Is the Star**

This challenge tickled my funny bone and I simply had to do it.

Disclaimer at Bottom

Challenge Name: The car is the star... (Buffy/multiple)

Challenge Description: Very vague challenge to give you all room to play:

Sunnydale is a very strange town, where nothing is ever normal. This would probably include the used car lot.

The basic premise of the challenge is someone from Sunnydale goes and buys a second hand car, but accidentally picks one from another universe. Think James Bonds Austin Martin, K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider, Herbie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the crazier the better! No crossover is out of reach! Challenge Date2 Apr 06

"Dawn are you sure you don't want an economy car?"

"Xander why would I want to get a cute little car that would get trashed the first time a demon got anywhere near it. You remember what happened to Kennedy's Geo Metro don't you?"

Xander winced at the memory of Kennedy's face. "She loved that car almost as much as she loved Willow. "Ok I see your point. But are you sure you wouldn't rather get a Hummer or some other large sport ute?" He was dreading trudging through yet another used car lot, since he had been very picky about the mechanical condition of the car.

"I've told you before, but I guess I'll have to do it again. I'm on a student budget, trying to get by without having to drag Buffy or Giles into my financial life. I'd love a classy vintage sports car, but one of those couldn't take a pounding and I'd be right back in the situation I'm in now since my last car was totaled by a rampaging Fyarl. To stand any chance of lasting it would have to be an older model with a metal body, not one of these plastic toy cars that are passed off as real transportation. Maybe an older stock car could be the way to go."

Xander was pleased that Dawn had picked up his general disdain of modern cars. "Still couldn't we go to some classier place than "Straight Deal Used Cars," even if it is one of the biggest dealerships outside the LA area?" Xander didn't really notice that they were getting close to a mechanic working underneath a tarp covered car just a little ways down.

"Budget. Xander. Budget. I'm looking for a car that has had wear and tear put on it, but has been taken care of. I really want it to be beefed up with improved suspension and an engine capable of giving it a good turn of speed."

The mechanic spoke up drawing their attention. "Well I think I may just have what you're looking for young lady." If what I just heard was even remotely real he thought to himself. The mechanic had just rolled out from underneath the tarp covered car.

Xander subtly put himself in place to intercept the mechanic before he could get to Dawn, if he tried anything. "And your name is..." Xander was being firm but polite in his tone.

He liked this one eyed youngster's style. He wasn't being threatening but it looked like he was ready to protect the young lady he'd called Dawn. "The names Davenport, I'm looking after this place for an old friend of mine, while he's on an extended vacation, he's due back in just a little while and I was going to have this car fixed up as a surprise."

Dawn instantly felt a liking for this older man. He looked to be about Giles age which was a plus for him. He was pleasantly plump. Not fat but it looked like he'd enjoyed the benefits of a lot of hard year's labor. Not to mention that he just had a face that she felt she could trust. "Mr. Davenport your running the place yet you is working on the cars?"

The mechanic just shrugged." I used to be a pretty fair grease monkey before it got to where you needed a degree in computers to even replace the spark plugs." He groused good naturedly. "Mostly I'm just working on this ol' car out of nostalgia. A couple of good friends that I and the owner of this place grew up with used it a lot and I worked on it when they couldn't fix it."

Dawn could tell there was a hint of melancholy in his voice, as he bowed his head. "What happened to your friends?" She asked as she put her hand on his arm in a gesture of comfort.

He snorted. "What happens to most folks? We grew up, ten years later than most, but grow up we did. The boy's had gone on a tour around the world after getting married in a double wedding. They were traveling through Russia when the plane they were on crashed with no survivors.' What really hurt is that me and a couple others had gotten the money together for the wedding present. Since we knew they'd always dreamed of traveling the world. Some time's just sometimes I'd wish..."

Xander knowing his luck decided to preempt the grieving man before he said something that he'd regret. "It's rough losing friends and family."

He straightened up and forced a grin on his face. I didn't mean to carry on like that. But while we weren't kinfolk we were family. Ya know?"

Xander looked on the man with respect. "Yes sir I do know. My blood relatives aren't anything I'd want to admit to having. But my friends are the family I choose. Are you sure you want to sell the car? Not saying we'd buy it." Xander back pedaled, "but it seems like you have a lot of emotions tied up in it."

"Yeah I do. But it's been years since the accident and me and Straight need to move on. It's not like the boys had used him much," Davenport stroked the tarp covered fender with his hand. "Mostly he sat in storage for most of the past 10-12 years. It's time to move on, and from what I overheard of your conversation it sounds like he'd be exactly what you'd need. Got a beefed up suspension it has had a good work out," boy has it been used he thought. It's even got a roll cage for racing and an engine that even today purrs like a kitten even if I do say so myself."

Xander looked at what he could discern of the body. It looked to have been an older car from the late 60's early 70's. But he couldn't tell much of anything about it with the cover on. "If you want to sell it, why do you have a trap on the car keeping people from seeing what it looks like?" He was beginning to believe that this whole bit was a scam trying to sell a car sight unseen. Not to mention he was wary of the overhearing of their conversation. From the comment alone he couldn't tell if it simply based on Dawns comments on what she wanted in a car or the fact that she had some unusual needs in a car.

"Well you got me there; I'd just gotten under him after digging him out of storage. Before trying to start him up, I wanted to check him out. And the tarp was just because he'd been stored away. Didn't want to get dust and what have you all over the custom paint job. Another reason is that I won't just sell him to anyone. The person that gets him would have to be the right kind of people, or I wouldn't sell him for a million dollars."

Despite the unusual claims Dawn and Xander couldn't help but be intrigued by the mysterious comments. "Isn't that just a little bit much?"

Davenport simply shook his head. "You'd have to know the people, the people involved in my life and the life of this car. WE helped a lot of people over the years. Mostly it was the boy's. I just tagged along for the ride helping them out of whatever trouble they'd gotten themselves into. That's why it's not hyperbole. I meant what I said. Only someone that looks out for other people should ever be behind the wheel of THIS car. Now before you say anything I may be crazy but I'm not dumb. I did hear you say demons didn't I?"

Dawn was flabbergasted he heard them talking about demons and he wasn't calling the men in the white suits and butterfly nets. "Uhm I'm not sure what to say." Dawn was carefully trying to not look like she was patronizing him or admitting anything about demons existing.

"Your reaction tells me plenty. While I was up on "The Hill" I heard bits and pieces of things that connected to other things and well..."

Dawn decided to risk it. Yes Mr. Davenport we were talking about a car that could stand up to the incidental damage that comes from being around demons."

Then I have the car for you. I'll give him a good tune up and you can have him for a song."

"Uh not that we don't appreciate it." Xander started.

"Because we do." Dawn interjected.

"But it's obvious that selling cars isn't your regular job. We'd like to see what the car look and sounds like, before we made any kind of deal.

Davenport just threw his head back and let out a big belly laugh. "I needed that. Maybe I'm crazy AND dumb. Your right I should let you see the car I'm looking to sell ya. Now stand here so you can get a good side view while I pull the tarp off.

Dawn and Xander stood where Mr. Davenport indicated as he got a good grip on the tarp.

He whipped the trap off the car, revealing a reddish orange colored Dodge Charger with a big 01 on the door. "I give you the...

_**GENERAL LEE!**_

-Later on-

"Cooter who were those kids I saw you talking to next to "The General"?"

That my dear Enos Straight is a story in itself, but that young lady is going to be the new owner of "The General".

This story is just for fun. I'm making no money from it and I do not even pretend to own any BTVS or Dukes of Hazzard characters. They belong to their respective companies.

I wonder how many people got the clues I let drop leading up to the big reveal. I tried not to hit you readers over the heads with clues. But I did want to let out a few clues.


End file.
